Phonograph



14, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1- H. J. KING PHONOGRAPH Filed Dec.

Dec. 2, 1930.

INVENTOR HEN RY d. Kn we H. J. KING PHONOGRAPH Dec. 2, 1930.

3 sheets sheet 2 Filed 990'. 14, 1923 HENRY d. KING A ORNEY De. 2, 1930. J. KING 1,783,723

I PHONOGRAPH Fi O- 1923 3 Shasta-Shut 3 1N VEN TOR.

- HNRY J. Kme, BY (Liam AT RNEY Patented Dec. 2, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY 3'. KING, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 DIOT'APHONE COBPORA- TION, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK PHONOGRAPH Application filed December 14; 1928. Serial No. 680,646.

This invention relates to phonographs, and more particularly to commercial phonographs used to record and reproduce dicta-' tron.

An object of this invention is to provide for preventing damage of the sound recording or reproducing means by the record-tablet.

when the latter is being introducedto the machine.

Another object is to provide for preventing damage of the surface of the record-tablet by the styli, or' other parts of the recording or reproducing mechanism when the recordtablet is'being placed in or removed from the machine.

A further object is to automatically cause the means for preventing damage of the record-tablet and styli to e operated. A still further object is to cause the damagepreventing means to be automatically operated as an incident to a usual and customary operation, which the user of the machine performs after the record-tablet is removed and which has already been performed before a new record-tablet is placed upon the machine. I

Andv a still further object of this invention is to provide means for allowing the removal ofa record-tablet without disturbing the setting of the machine. And yet another object is to provide for entirely concealing the most delicate parts of the machine when the'latter is out of use.

i :to perform the necessary operation, which is usually subconsciously performed, should tating machine, showing the parts in the pofective'.

Another object is to enforce the operator Other objects will hereinafter appear.

- In the accompanying drawings:

Fig.1 is a sectional side elevation of a dicsitibn they v sound.

."Fig. 2 is, a similar side view showing the occupy during the recording of position of the parts when the machine is out of use and a record-tablet is to be removed from, or applied to, the machine. I

Fig. 3 is a skeleton perspective view showing the mouth-piece-sup orting hook and thesound-box of the mac inc and the operative connections between them.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the mechanism for locking the recordejector against operation.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified form of the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a front'view showing the recordejector mechanism.

' Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig.

The dictating machine shown in the accompanying drawing, comprises a base 10 having upright standards 11, carrying suitable guides 12 upon which the sound-box carriage 13 is mounted to move longitudinally on the machine under the influence of afeedscrew 14. suitably coupled to the carriage by means ofa feed-nut 15. The sound-box carriage travels over a record-supporting mandrel 16 supported in suitable hearings in a housing 17, at the left of the machine. The mandrel is preferably provided with springpressed plungers 18, which makes it self-adjusting to all record-tablets irrespective of the slight variation insize due to irregularities of manufacture and temperature changes.

The sound-box carriage 13 has at its for- 'ward portion a nozzle 19, adapted toreceivc the end of the speaking tube 20, having at this mouthpiece 21 and speaking-tube 20, that its other end a mouthpiece 21. It is through the sound emitted by the dictator is carried to the machine. The sound 'is conveyed through suitable internal connections to a sound-box 22, having a diaphragm 23, carrying a recording stylus 24 and a. reproducing stylus 25. The sound-box 22 is mounted to swing vertically upon trunnions 26, so that it may assume the proper position with one of the styli on the record-tablet, both when the newrecord-tablet is used and when a shaveddown record-tablet is used. The horizontal mounting of the sound-box 22 is also provided to allow raising of the styli fromthe record-surface when, for instance, it is desired to change the longitudinal osition of the carriage, or when shifting rom recording to reproducing position, or vice versa. This movement is effected by means of a lever 27, pivoted upon the upper guide 12, and having a link 28 connected to a slide 29 carrying the sound-box. The movement of the lever 27 causes the slide to be moved, and'this, because of a cam surface 28a on the sound-box and a pin 29a on the carriage, causes the sound-box to be raised off the record-surface. At the same time, the feed-nut 15 ,is withdrawn from the feed-screw 14 by means of a cam surface 30 on the lever 27.

For the purpose of facilitating the removal of the record-tablet from the mandrel, there is provided a record-ejector comprising a plunger 31a adapted to engage the inside end of the record-tablet. This is preferably operated through a link 31b by a lever 32a located adjacent the free end of the mandrel as illustrated in the patent to J. M. Lucarelle, No. 1,687,375, October 9, 1928, so that, with one. hand, the operator may simultaneously operate the re'cord-ejector and receive the ejected I record upon the fingers of the same hand. It will be seen, from the foregoing, that should the record-ejector be operated, or the recordtablet be otherwise removed from the mandrel while either of the styli is in operative position upon the record-surface, this surface will be scratched or otherwise damaged by the relative movement between it and the stylus. This usually results in marring the surface of the record-tablet to such an extent that the recorded matter is unintelligible in the case of a tablet with the sound record on it, or rendering a new record-tablet unsuitable for use. On the other hand, it will be seen, that because of the freedom of the sound-box to move downwardly, the advancing end of the record-tablet being placed upon the machine while the sound-box is in its lower position would engage the sensitiveand rela-" tively fragile points of the st 1i and break them from their connection to t e dia hragm, or otherwise damage them and ran er them unsuitable for use. f

Consequently, heretofore, it was'necessary for the operator to throw the control lever 27 to its neutral or inoperative positiddbefore applying or removing'the record-tabletfrom the machine in order to avoid this difiiculty. This operation is easil performed, but, very frequently, particualr y with those not fully acquainted with the operations of the machine, the operator would forget to shift thelever 27, withthe result that the record-tablet or the styli, or both,'would be damaged when the record-tablet was being applied to or removed from the machine.

It has been proposed to avoid this difficulty by putting blocking means, or lockin means, in such positions that the removal of the record-tablet is prevented unless the control lever be put in neutral osition. These proposals, however, merely orced the operator to shift the control lever to neutral position before removal of the record-tablet was permitted. Moreover, for various reasons, these proposals, while they could prevent removal of the record-tablet from its support, could not prevent its movement on the mandrel, with the result that the record would be scratched by the stylus before the blocking means came into play.

It is the main object of this invention to avoid these difficulties and, according to the preferred embodiment herein shown and described, this is accomplished by bodily lifting the sound-box from the record-tablet when the operator concludes the dictation; and this is done as an incident to an operation which the operator subconsciously performs.

This operation-is the placing of the speaking-tube 20 upon a hook 31 at the left of the machine. This hook is pivotally mounted upon a bracket 32 and has its rear end 33 provided with a connection 34 to a sw1tch 35 controlling the motor circuit of the machine. When the speaking-tube 20 is hung upon the hook 31 its weight moves the hook 31 downwardly against the tension of its spring 36 (see Fig. 3) and causes the motor circuit to be opened. This operation of placing the speaking-tube upon the hook 31 is performed by the o erator each time he ceases dictating and this is done from the very beginning of his use of the machine. It is a subconscious operationthe same as that of hanging the telephone receiver upon its hook when a telephone conversation is concluded.

For bodily raising the sound-box 22 for the purpose of protecting the record and the styli, there is provided on the sound-box carriage 13 a lever 40 pivoted at 41 and having a hook 42 at its forward end adapted to engage the forward portion of the sound-box 22 when the lever is swung. The hook 42 of the lever 40, in its normal position, is below the lowermost position of the sound-box,'s'o as not to interfere with the free up-and-down movements of the sound-box in accommodating itself to record-tablets of various thickncsses. The rear end 43 of the lever 40'extends outside of the frame-work of the car riage 13 and into position to be operated by a bail 44 fulcrumed at 45 in the vertical standards 11. There is merely a contact enga ement between the end 43 of the lever 40 an the bail'44 so that the bail may operate the lever in any of the positions of the carriage. The ball, at the left side of the machine, is provided with an arm 46 having a link 47 connected to the rear end 33 of the speakin -tube su porting hook 31. \Vhen the hook 31 receives the speakin -tube, its rear-end is raised causing the bai 44 to be swung downwardly. This engages the rear the sound-box and raises it to its extreme upper position where it is far out of range. 0

the record-tablet and isconcealed behind the frame-work of the sound-box carriage, see Fig. 2.

It will thus be seen, that when the speaking tube is on the hook, it is absolutely impossible to either damage the record-tablet by the styl-i, or the styli by the record-tablet, and that the latter may be removed without performing any other operationthan ejecting it from the mandrel, by operation of the lever 32a.

Sometimes it is desired to remove a partly dictated record-tablet from the machine, for example, to allow the typistto reproduce and typewrite what is there recorded, and to again replace the record-tablet to continue the dictation. To do this, it was previously necessary to throw the control-lever 27 to its neutral position so as to lift the styli from the record-tablet and prevent any damage. But this operation, it will be remembered, also removes the feed-nut 15 from the feed-screw. Consequently, when the controllever 27 is in its neutral position the carriage is free to move in any direction and to get out of the position occupied when the dictation was interrupted. Therefore, when the partly dictated record-tablet was replaced upon the machine, it was also necessary to I reposition the carriage, a rather tedious operation, in order to continue where the interruption took place. This is not necessary with the present invention because the placing of the speaking-tube upon the hook 31 raises the styli from the record-tablet without releasing the feed-nut 15 from the feedscrew 14, and this, of course, may be done for any purpose whatsoever.

The movement of the sound-box to a position where the styli are concealed entirely withinthe carriage frame is also a particularly advantageous feature, for it prevents damage to the styli by tools, or other implements, when the machine is out of use.

While there is herein described, one embodiment of this invention wherein the sound-box is raised from the record-tablet by the performance of a subconscious operation,

the hanging of the speaking-tube upon the hook, it should be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited to this particular construction, but that any other operation which may be done at the conclusion of dicraising the sound-box ofi' the record-tablet without altering the connection of the carriage feed-nut tothe feed-screw may be performed by any suitable means,

and this may be entirely independent of any other operation of the machine.

This may be done, as shown in Fig. 5, by

53 to a part which operates the sound-box raising lever 40.

In Fig. 5 there is also shown a modified form of mechanism for lifting the sound-box from the record tablet. This comprises a triangularly shaped bar 54 pivoted on the frame of the machine and having at one end an arm 56 connected by a link 57 to an extension 58 of the speaking-tube supporting hook. The bar 54 also has its arm 56 connected to the link 53 of the key mechanism. When either the key 50 or the speaking tube book 31 is depressed the triangular bar 54 .is

rocked, bringing one of'its points into en- I 62 to which it is attached is in its uppermost position, movement of the record ejector is positively prevented. The lever 62 is pivoted at 63 and has its rear end 64 connected by a link 65 to an arm 66 on the shaft 45 of the bail 44. The connection is such that when the bail is in its uppermost position, where it allows the sound-box to engage the recordtablet, the lock 60 engages the ejector lever 32a to prevent its operation. When the speaking-tube is hung upon its hook 31, the bail is, of course, rocked downwardly to raise the sound-box from the record-tablet as previously described. causes the lock 60 to be withdrawn, and a free operation of the record-ejector is then permitted.

It will be seen that by providing this lock for the record-ejector in combination with the speaking tube controlled sound box raiser it is impossible to remove the record so long as the motor switch 35 is closed and the motor is operating. Consequently, according to the present invention, it is impossible to attempt to withdraw the record from the machine by operatiop of the recordejector so long as the mandrel is rotating.

It will of course be understood that other forms of record-ejecting mechanism and other forms of locks may be used within the scope of this invention and that portions of the improvements may be used without others all within the scope of the appended claims.

ien

Having now described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which Letters Patent of the United States is desired, is:

1. In adictating machine, the combination of a record-support, means for rotating the record-support, manually operable means for making the record-support rotating means operative or inoperative a stylus, and means for moving the stylus out of record-engaging position and operated concomitantl with the operation of said manually opera le means when making the record-support rotating means inoperative.

2. In combination, a record-support, a sound-box carriage movable longitudinally of the record-support, a sound-box mounted within the carriage and having means adapted to extend outside the carriage to engage a record carried by the record-support, and means for causing the sound-box and said last-named means to be entirely concealed within the carriage.

3. In combination, a record-support, a carriage movable longitudinally thereof, a sound-box carried by the carriage, means for feeding the carriage, a manually operable device adapted to raise the sound-box from the record-surface and to simultaneously release the feeding means of the carriage, and auxiliary means adapted to raise the sound-box from the record-surface without disconnecting the feeding means from the carriage.

4. In combination, a sound-conveying device, a support therefor, a record-support, sound recording or reproducing means to engage a record carried by the record-support, and means to remove the recording or reproducing means from record-engagingposition concomitantly with the placing of the soundconveying device upon its support.

5. In a sound recording or reproducing machine, the combination of a member held by the operator during operation of the machine, a support therefor, a record-support, sound recording or reproducing means movable to engage a record carried by the record-support, and means to remove the sound recording or reproducing means from the recordcngaging position concomitantly with the placing of the said member upon its support.

6. In a sound recording or reproducing machine. the combination of a record-support, manually controlled means for rotating the record-support, sound recording or reproducing means movable to engage a record carried by the record-support, and means operated concomitantly with the manual control of the record-support rotating means when causing said means to be ineffective, for removing the sound recording or reproducing means from record-engaging position.

7. In a sound recording or reproducing machine, the combination of a motor switch, sound reproducing or recording means, and means for moving the last named means to inoperative position concomitantly with the movement of the motor switch to oil position.

8. In a sound recordin or reproducing machine, the combination 0 a record-support, a motor switch for controlling the rotation of the record-support, means for causing the motor switch to be operative 0r inoperative, sound recording or reproducing means, and means for causing the last named means to be held in inoperative position when the motor switch is inoperative.

9. In a sound recording or reproducing machine, the combination of a motor switch, a sound-box, and a means for insuring the movement of the sound-box to inoperative position, operated concomitantly with the movement of the, motor switch to off position.

10. In combination, a sound-conveying device, a support therefor, a record-support, sound recording or reproducing means movable to engage a record carried by the recordsupport, and means for insuring the removal of thesound recording or reproducing means from record-engaging position, operated concomitantly vwith the placing of the soundconveying device upon its support.

11. In a sound recording or reproducing machine, the combination of a member held by the operator during operation of the machine, a support therefor, a record-support, sound recording or reproducing means movable to engage a record carried by the recordsupport, and means for insuring the removal of the sound recording or reproducing means from record-engaging position, operated concomitantly with the placing of the said member upon its support.

12. In a sound recording or reproducing machine, the combination of a record-support, manually controlled means for rotating the record-support, sound recording or reproducing means movable to engage a record carried by the record-support, and means operated concomitantly with the manual control of the record-support rotating means, which control causes said means to be ineffective, for insuring the removal of the sound recording or reproducing means from record-engaging position.

13. In combination, a sound-box carriage, a sound-box mounted in the carriage for vertical movements therein, and means mounted independently of the carriage for raising the sound-box from the record."

14. In combination, a record-support, a carriage, sound recording or reproducing means mounted in the carriage for movement therein, and means mounted independently of the carriage for causing the sound recording or reproducing means to be rendered ineffective by movement of the same in the carriage.

15. In combination, a frame, a carriage, sound recording or reproducing means mounted in the carriage for movement there-, in, and means mounted on the frame for causing the sound recording or reproducing means to be moved to ineffective position by movement of the same in the carriage.

16. In combination, a frame, a carriage,

sound recording or reproducing means mounted in the carriage for movement there in, means mounted on the carriage for causing the sound recording or reproducing means to be moved to ineffective position, and means mounted on the frame and operating the last named means.

17. In combination, a frame, a carriage, sound recording or reproducing means mounted in the'carriage, means mounted in port mounted onthe frame, a bar mounted on the machine frame and movable to cause the sound recording and reproducing means to be moved to ineffective" position, said bar being universal to all positions of the carriage, and means connecting the universal bar and the speaking-tube support; for causing the former to ,operate with the latter.-

19. In combination, a frame, a carriage, sound recording or reproducing means mounted in the carriage, .a motor switch,

- means mounted on the carriage for causing the sound recording or reproducing means to be moved to ineffective position," means mounted upon the frame for operating the last named means, and operative connections between the motor switch and the last named means for causing the sound recording or reproducing means to be rendered ineffective concomitantly with the movement of the motor switch to off position. s

20. In combination, a carriagefsound recording or reproducing means mounted in the carriage, a motor controlling switch, and means operatively connected to the motor controlling switch for causing theQsound recording or reproducing means to be rendered ineffective when the motor switch is moved to .ofl position. J

21. In combination, a frame, a carriage movable along the frame, a record-supporting means mounted substantially parallel with the path of the carriage, sound record-- ing'or reproducing means mounted within the carnage and movable to engage a record supported by the record-support ng means,

and means mounted on the frame for removing the sound recording or reproducing means from the record-surface to a POSI- tion where it is entirely concealed within the carriage.

22. In combination, a carriage, sound recording or reproducing means mounted in the carriage, feed mechanism for moving the carriage, a recordsupport, sound recording or reproducing means being movable to engage a record mounted upon the record-support, means mounted upon the. carriage movable to remove the sound recording or reproducing means from the record-surface and simultaneously disconnect the carriage from its feed mechanism, and means movable to remove the sound recording or reproducing means fromthe record-surface without disconnecting the carriage from its feed mechanism'.

23. In a dictating machine, means for supporting a record, sound recording or reproducing means movable to engage the record,

feeding mechanism connected to the carriage,

and means permitting the removal of the record without altering the connection of the feeding mechanism to the carriage.

24. In combination, a carriage, a soundbox pivotally mounted in the carriage, a lever mounted in the carriage and having a hook at one end adapted to underlie the sound-box, the other end of the lever projecting beyond the carriage, a bail mounted on the frame and adapted to engage the last-named end of the,

lever when operated, a speaking-tube, a speaking-tube supporting-hook, and a link connection between the bail and the speaking-tube supporting-hook whereby the operation of the supporting-hook causes the bail to operate and the lever to raise the sound-box relative to the carriage.

25. In combination, a carriage comprising a hollow housing, sound recording or reproducing means mounted in the carriage, and

means for moving therecording and reproducin means to a position completely within the ho low housing.

26. In a dictating machine, the combination of a record-support, means for rotating the record-support, manually operable means for controlling the record-support rotating means, a sound-box, means 'for moving the sound-box relatively to the record-support and operated concomitantly with the operation of the means for controlling the recordsupport rotating means, a record-ejector, a lock therefor, and means operated bythe said means for moving the sound-box for unlocking the record-ejector lock.

.27. In combination, a record-support, a

sound-box carriage movable longitudinally of the record-support, a sound-box mounted within; the carriage and having means extending outside the carriage to engage a record carried by the record-support, means 28. In combination, a record-support, a

carriage movable longitudinally thereof, a

sound-box carried by the carriage, means for feeding the carriage, a manually operable device adapted to raise the sound-box from the record-surface and to simultaneously release the feeding, means of the carriage, auxiliary means adapted to raise the sound-box from the record-surface without disconnecting the feeding means from the carriage, a record-ejector, a-lock therefor, and means operated by the said auxiliary means for unlocking the record-ejector lock.

29. In combination, a sound-conveying device, a support therefor, a record-support, sound recording or reproducing means movable to engage a record carried by the rec: ord-support, means movable to remove the recording or reproducing means from record-engaging position as an incident to the placing of the sound-conveying device upon 1ts support, a record-ejector, a lock therefor, and means operated by the means movable to remove the recording and reproducing means.

from record engaging position for automatically unlocking the record-ejector lock.

30. In a sound recording or reproducing machine, the combination of a member held by the operator during operation of the machine, a support therefor, a record-support, sound recording or reproducing means movable to engage a record carried by the recordsupport, means movable to remove the sound recording and reproducing means from the record-engaging position as an incident to the placing of the said member upon its support, a record-ejector, a lock therefor, and means for unlocking the record-ejector lock operated concomitantly with the placing of the said member upon its support and with the operation of the means to remove the sound recording and reproducing means from record engaging position.

31. In a sound recording or reproducing machine, the combination of a motor switch, sound reproducing or recording means, means for moving the last named means to inoperative position as an incident to the movement of the motor switch to off position, a record-ejector, a lock therefor, and means operated as an incident to the movement of the motor switch to off position and concomitantly with the operation of said means for moving the sound recording and reproducing means to inoperative position for unlocking the record-ejector lock.

32. In combination, a record-support, a carriage, sound recording or reproducing means mounted in the carriage, means mounted independentl of the carriage for causing the sound recor ing or roproducing means to be rendered ineffective, a recordejector, a lock therefor, and means operated by the means mounted independentl of the carriage for unlocking the recorc -ejector lock.

33. In combination, a speaking-tube; a movable support therefor; arecord-ejector; a record-ejector lock and means for unlocking the record-ejector lock operated as an incident to the movement of the speaking-tube support to speaking-tube-supporting position.

34. In combination, a record-ejector; a speaking-tube; a speaking-tube supporting member mounted to move when it receives the speaking-tube and to perform functions preparatory to the removal of the record by such movement; and means for locking the record-ejector until the speaking-tube supporting member has been so moved.

35. In combination, a machine frame, a record-ejector, and lock therefor, and manually operable means mounted on the machine frame for unlocking the record-ejector lock.

36. In combination, a machine frame, a record-support, means movable to remove the record from the record-support, and manually releasable means mounted directly on the machine frame for preventing the operation of last-named means.

37. In a dictation machine, the combination of a carriage; a sound-box liftable in said carriage; a sound-box lifter on the carriage; and means remote from the carriage for operating the sound-box lifter.

38. In a dictation machine, the combination of a frame; a sound-box; a sound-boxcarriage longitudinally movable on the frame; a sound-box control lever on the carriage; and a manually operable bail extending across the machine by the operation of which the sound-box control lever may be operated irrespective of the carriage location longitudinally on the frame.

39. The combination in a dictatingmachine of a frame, a carriage, a speaking tube, a support for the free end of said speaking tube pivotally mounted on said frame, a

movable sound recording or reproducing means on the carriage, and operative connecting means for moving said sound recording or reproducing means when said speaking tube support is moved.

Signed at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, this 11th day of December, 1923.

HENRY J. KING.

' CERTIFICATE or CORRECTIO N Patent No., l", 78 3, I Granted December 2,1930, to.

HENRY J. "KING;

It is hereby. certified thnt jerro r appears in the nrinted specification of tliei above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 6', line 89,- claim 35, after the-word "mounted" insert the .word directly; and thqt the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may -conform to the record of the case in the. Patent Office.

Signed and segled this 20th day ofjanuary, A. D. 1931.

. E -Meets; (Seal) Acting gonnnission'er of Patents; 

